Surprise sweep of GHS yields no findings

Ethan Brogan photo

Gemma with the Wyoming Highway Patrol sniffs a knapsack during the surprise drug search at Glenrock High School. No drugs were found in GHS during the search. 

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By Ethan Brogan ethan@glenrockind.com

In the early hours of Wednesday morning, a herd of law enforcement descended onto Glenrock High School.
More than 170 students waited in their classrooms, unaware of the impending search.
Four K-9 units jumped from the back of police cruisers. The entire school went on lock-down for the first K-9 drug search in more than seven years.
The Glenrock police department collaborated with the Casper Police Department and Wyoming Highway Patrol to bring K-9 units by for a surprise search after a complaint received about suspected marijuana in GHS.
During the first 30 minutes, dogs swept classrooms and lockers, in an attempt to find illicit substances.
“I went to the department (GPD) and wanted to start doing searches again on a routine basis,” Glenrock School District Superintendent Coley Shadrick said. “I want to send a strong message that we have a zero tolerance for drugs, tobacco and all of that stuff in our school system.
The final stop was the school parking lot. Toward the end of the sweep Patrick, one of the canines from CPD, stopped sniffing and sat on the pavement, signifying a hit.
The search ensued with attempts to find what the dog had detected. Suspected marijuana residue was allegedly found on the floor bed of the truck and was field tested. Field tests concluded no presence of marijuana and the search continued. After some time, the vehicle was deemed clean and law enforcement came together to leave the premises.
“It sends a message that we care about our community and we’re not going to tolerate narcotics in the schools in any way, shape or form, ” Glenrock Police Chief Tim Hurd said.  After the successful collaboration with CPD and WHP, GPD plans to work more with these agencies in the future.
“Our relationships with both agencies are just paramount,” Hurd said. “Especially with things like this, it shows a unity in law enforcement that we all care about our community no matter what community you police.”
After the success of the search, Shadrick looks to having more drug searches during the school year.
“It’s all about being safe and making sure kids are focused on one thing: and that’s school,” Shadrick said. “I don’t want to just go through the motions, we want to be effective.”

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Glenrock Independent

Physical Address:506 W. Birch, Glenrock, WY 82637 Mailing Address: PO Box 109, Douglas, WY 82633 Phone: (307) 436-2211

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